Unit:
Τομέας Ειδικής Παιδαγωγικής και ΨυχολογίαςΒιβλιοθήκη Δημοτικής Εκπαίδευσης
Author:
Ράντου Μαρία-Νεφέλη
Dissertation committee:
Παπαδάτος Γιάννης, Ομότιμος Καθηγητής ΠΤΔΕ.ΕΚΠΑ (Επιβλέπων Καθηγητής )
Πολυχρονοπούλου Σταυρούλα, Ομότιμη Καθηγήτρια ΠΤΔΕ. ΕΚΠΑ
Σκορδούλης Κωνσταντίνος, Καθηγητής ΠΤΔΕ. ΕΚΠΑ
Τρίμμης Νικόλαος, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής του Τμήματος Λογοθεραπείας του ΤΕΙ Δυτικής Ελλάδας
Μαυρικάκη Ευαγγελία, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια του ΠΤΔΕ του Παν/μίου Αθηνών
Σούλης Σπύρος, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής του ΠΤΔΕ του Παν/μίου Ιωαννίνων
Αντωνίου Σταμάτιος-Αλέξανδρος, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής του ΠΤΔΕ του Παν/μίου Αθηνών
Original Title:
Διερεύνηση Μηχανισμών Λειτουργικής Ασυμμετρίας Εγκεφάλου Κωφών και Ακουόντων Μαθητών
Translated title:
Διερεύνηση Μηχανισμών Λειτουργικής Ασυμμετρίας Εγκεφάλου Κωφών και Ακουόντων Μαθητών
Summary:
Introduction
Paul Broca was the first that claimed that there is a strong relation between brain lateralization and handedness, and this finding is confirmed by many contemporary studies (Knetch et al., 2000a. Papadatou-Pastou, 2011. Szaflarski et al., 2002). There is growing scientific interest in the connection between handedness and brain laterality of the population of the deaf, as the hands are used for the production of sign language. There is room for studying the consequences of the deafness in combination with the delayed language development in brain organization.
Objectives
The objective of the current thesis, which comprises of four studies, is the detection of the differences in hand preference, hand skill and language lateralization of the brain between deaf and hearing individuals. The possibility of the differentiation of the production of linguistic activities in comparison to those of the non-linguistic is investigated. Additionally, the possibility of the difference in the laterality to be attributed to the use of sign language and not to the hearing deficiency is also detected. Finally, the connection between the age of language acquisition and behavioral and brain laterality is thoroughly studied.
Μethod
For assessing the objectives of this Thesis the following tools were used: behavioral hand skill and hand preference tests, video recording and a brain imaging technique - functional Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound (fTCD). In these four studies deaf and hearing participated as well as hearing users and non-users of Greek Sign Language.
Results
Among the most significant findings of this Thesis are the higher percentages in left handedness between deaf and hearing individuals. Hand preference was found to be stronger for the production of sign language compared to non-linguistic activities. Sign Language is established to the left hemisphere, while the fact that deaf participants have their language more lateralized to the left hemisphere compared to hearing participants was recorded within the limits of statistical significance. Correlation between age of language acquisition and behavioral and brain laterality was not observed. Finally, the differences in hand preference were not linked to the Sign Language but to hearing deprivation. The findings of this Thesis are discussed in relation to their scientific, methodological and educational practices.
Main subject category:
Special education
Keywords:
language lateralization, hand preference, hand skill, Sign Language, deafness.
Number of references:
288
